I should have also noted the escalating Viet-Nam War and it's depressing effects on the youth culture. America has survived more serious wars than Viet-Nam but Viet-Nam presented unusual frustrations, including that the "mission" was not really to win the war, just "embarrass" the enemy and set up a corrupt Narco based government is South Vietnam to stem the tide of communism. Like Laos and Thailand. But this did not seem to be working and the media was full of bad news from Viet-Nam that was divisive. The draft also was a threat to the happy days youth culture of the late 1950s-mid 1960s. This was far less a factor when the song was written that when the song was released.
I should have also noted the escalating Viet-Nam War and it's depressing effects on the youth culture. America has survived more serious wars than Viet-Nam but Viet-Nam presented unusual frustrations, including that the "mission" was not really to win the war, just "embarrass" the enemy and set up a corrupt Narco based government is South Vietnam to stem the tide of communism. Like Laos and Thailand. But this did not seem to be working and the media was full of bad news from Viet-Nam that was divisive. The draft also was a threat to the happy days youth culture of the late 1950s-mid 1960s. This was far less a factor when the song was written that when the song was released.